90+ RATINGS POUR IN AS HARVEST CONTINUES
“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” Some sources attribute this quote to Aristotle, while others claim it was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In either case, this sentiment perfectly encapsulates the 2021 Harvest so far. It has been a delayed harvest across most of Santa Barbara wine country for everyone, including Sunstone. While our region enjoys one of the most consistent and predictable grape growing climates in the world, sometimes Mother Nature can be fickle. Everything from temperatures to sunlight to precipitation can dictate when the fruit is ready to be picked. This year, it is taking a lot longer than normal for the grapes to be ready, resulting in about 60% of our crop still hanging on the vine in mid-October.
But, harkening back to the quote above, the great news is that as we patiently wait for the bulk of the grapes to be ready, the fruit that has come in so far has been superb. When all is said and done, our winemakers and cellar team anticipate bringing in a record 275+ tons of premium quality fruit not only from our own Estate vineyard but 15 other esteemed vineyards throughout Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles. You can look forward to enjoying the whites and rosés from this harvest early next year and the reds in 2023.
In the meantime, we trust that you are enjoying our 2018 through 2020 vintages you have received in your last few wine shipments. We are proud that NINE of these wines have received 90+ ratings from nationally known, independent wine critics in 2021. In fact, if you pick up the current (October) issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine you will see our 2018 Eros was named a “Cellar Selection” with a 91 rating.
On to the details of your next wine shipment! In addition to the return of popular varietals like Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, the star of the show is our 2019 Merlot Reserve. As longtime members know, Sunstone is well-known for our award-winning Merlots. Fourteen of the 20 acres on our Estate are planted to this varietal. Read below for more details on all of the wines in your upcoming release.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you at the Estate soon. Cheers!
WINES INCLUDED IN THIS SHIPMENT:
2020 GRENACHE BLANC (MIXED CLUBS ONLY)
Retail: $30
| GRAPE BLEND & SOURCE | 100% Grenache Blanc La Presa Vineyard |
| TECHNICAL SPECS | pH: 3.68 Acidity: 3.9 g/L Alcohol: 14.5% 4 months in 100% Stainless Steel (no oak) |
| TASTING NOTES | Delicate nose of pink grapefruit, lemongrass, and honeydew, accented by notes of green apple, apple pear and cloves. Light bodied with bright acidity on the palate, and notes of white pepper and white grapefruit leading to a dry, lingering finish. |
| WINEMAKING | The Grenache Blanc grapes were hand harvested in the early morning of October 1st, 2020 at La Pressa Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley, within 3 miles from Sunstone. The fruit was whole cluster pressed, settled in a chilled tank, racked off lees and the juice was fermented with Rhone specific yeast for 8 days. The wine was then bottled to 418 cases in February 2021. |
| FOOD PAIRING | Seared Ahi Tuna w/ garlic, lime-limon, miso, mustard, black sesame seed ponzu sauce over orange olive oil, balsamic tossed arugula. |
| CELLARING | The 2020 Grenache Blanc can be enjoyed now and for up to an additional 12-18 months if stored in proper conditions. It is not a candidate for long term aging. |
2019 MERLOT RESERVE, ESTATE
Retail: $65
| GRAPE BLEND & SOURCE | 100% Merlot Sunstone Estate Vineyard |
| TECHNICAL SPECS | pH: 3.68 Acidity: 5.0 g/L Alcohol: 14.4% 22 months in 30% new/70% neutral French oak |
| TASTING NOTES | Pleasant aromas of lavender, fresh plums and underripe blueberries are accented by spice and mineral notes. Fine-grained tannins combine with brisk acidity on the palate with notes of pink peppercorns, blackberry, molasses, Earl grey tea leaf and a lengthy finish. |
| WINEMAKING | The 2019 Merlot was hand harvested from Sunstone’s Estate Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley in mid to late October 2019. Each block of Merlot was fermented individually and later blended, beginning with trial blends to the final Merlot Estate blend. During harvest the grapes were crushed and transferred to a chilled tank for three days to settle and cold soak for extra extraction during the macerations from the pump overs and punch downs, helping the wine develop more body, character, pigment, aroma, texture, and overall balance. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks and bins for 10-12 days and racked to 100% French oak barrels (30% new/70% neutral). The wine was aged for 22 months before being bottled to 535 cases in August 2021. |
| FOOD PAIRING | Moroccan Lamb Curry over a bed of jasmine rice seasoned with garlic, lemongrass, cilantro basil pesto with a side of roasted potatoes, bell peppers. |
| CELLARING | The 2019 Merlot Reserve, Estate can be enjoyed now and for an additional 8-12 years if stored in proper conditions. |
2019 PINOT NOIR, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Retail: $45
| GRAPE BLEND & SOURCE | 100% Pinot Noir Le Bon Climat Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley |
| TECHNICAL SPECS | pH: 3.67 Acidity: 5.9 g/L Alcohol: 14.3% 23 months in 15% new/85% neutral Burgundy French oak casks |
| TASTING NOTES | Earthy nose with notes of dried figs, cloves and dark plum and hints of raspberry and tobacco in the background. Tart character on the palate, including rhubarb and sour cherry notes mixed with red plums, leading to a minerally, earthy finish. |
| WINEMAKING | The grapes for our Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir were grown in a vineyard in northern Santa Barbara County that has soil consisting of cobble-studded loam, sandy loam, shale and clay which adds dry mineral notes to the wine. These soil types help to enhance the existing smoke, fruit and floral notes as well. The fruit was hand harvested, cold soaked for 3 days and then fermented for up to 12 days before pressing to oak barrel. This Pinot was aged in 15% new Burgundy French Oak and 85% neutral Burgundy oak casks for 23 months and bottled to 660 cases in August 2021. |
| FOOD PAIRING | Venison Steak w/caramelized onion, garlic, pine nuts and cherry tomato chutney over tarragon white truffle mashed potatoes |
| CELLARING | The 2019 SBC Pinot Noir can be enjoyed now and for the next 5-8 years if stored in optimal conditions. |
2019 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
Retail: $45
| GRAPE BLEND & SOURCE | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Rancho Arroyo and Valley View Vineyards |
| TECHNICAL SPECS | pH: 3.79 Acidity: 6.6 g/L Alcohol: 14.6% 22 months in 28% new/72% neutral French oak |
| TASTING NOTES | Red and black fruit notes abound on the nose with character of boysenberry, dark plum, black currants, and raspberry leather with hints of espresso and cocoa nibs. Structured acidity and polished tannins on the palate with notes of blueberry, huckleberry, and cloves and a smooth finish. |
| WINEMAKING | Our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon was hand harvested in late October 2019 from two different vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley. About 86% of the grapes came from Rancho Arroyo vineyard and 14% came from Valley View vineyard. The fruit from each vineyard was fermented individually and later blended beginning with trial blends to the final blend. During harvest the grapes were crushed and transferred to a chilled tank for three days to settle and cold soak for extra extraction during the macerations from the pump overs and punch downs, helping the wine develop more body, character, pigment, aroma, texture, and overall balance. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks and bins for 14 days and racked to 100% French oak barrels (28% new/72% neutral), and then aged for 22 months before being bottled to 685 cases in August 2021. |
| FOOD PAIRING | Shredded Braised Beef Short Ribs over three Italian cheese grilled polenta and asparagus with grated black truffles |
| CELLARING | The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, SYV can be enjoyed now and for an additional 4-8 years if stored in proper conditions. |
